Brigid Kosgei breaks world marathon record
What you need to know:
- Her feat saw here ease Britain's Paula Radcliffe time of 2:15:25 set on April 13, 2003 in London.
- It is also a course record also erasing Radcliffe's time of 2:17:18 set in October 13, 2002.
Kenya's Brigid Kosgei is the new women's world marathon record holder.
Kosgei achieved the feat when she clocked 2 hours, 14 minutes and 04 seconds during Sunday's Chicago Marathon.
The feat saw her erase Britain's Paula Radcliffe time of 2:15:25 set on April 13, 2003 in London.
It is also a course record as she reduced Radcliffe's time of 2:17:18 set in October 13, 2002.
"I'm happy and I feel good," Kosgei said. "I ran here last year so I knew it was a good course. There was a little bit of wind but it was OK.
"People were cheering all along the course, which gave me more energy."
It adds to the 25-year-old's win in London this year when she clocked 2:18:20 and became the youngest winner of the race.
Kosgei, who clocked the fastest half-marathon in history this year of 1:04:28 at the Great North Run, quickly separated herself from the women's field as she ran with two male pace-setters.
'WOMEN ONLY'
She crossed the finish line alone, with Ethiopians Ababel Yeshaneh and Gelete Burka a distant second and third in 2:20:51 and 2:20:55.
While the IAAF recognizes the 2:17:01 clocked by Mary Jepkosgei Keitany at the 2017 London Marathon as a "women only" world record posted without male pace-setters, it's Radcliffe's mark -- so long untouchable -- that has been the grail for female marathon runners.
Kosgei's performance continued a remarkable weekend in the punishing event, coming a day after fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge became the first man to break two hours at the distance when he clocked 1hr 59min 40.2sec on a specially prepared course in a Vienna park.
Kosgei signalled her intentions with an astonishing first five kilometers in 15:28 -- so far inside Radcliffe's world record pace that it seemed she might have ruined her chances out of the gate.
But she settled into a more sustainable pace and powered relentlessly to the finish line.
Results on Sunday in the Chicago Marathon:
Women
1. Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:14:04 -- world record
2. Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 2:20:51
3. Gelete Burka (ETH) 2:20:55
4. Emma Bates (USA) 2:25:27
5. Fionnuala McCormack (IRL) 2:26:47
6. Stephanie Bruce (USA) 2:27:47
7. Lindsay Flanagan (USA) 2:28:08
8. Laura Thweatt (USA) 2:29:06
9. Lisa Weightman (AUS) 2:29:45
10. Taylor Ward (USA) 2:30:14